First Time Parents
by FallenStarof96
Summary: Neji and Tenten are living in a cramped apartment with their six-month old child. Through the sweltering heat Lee brings the couple the first house warming present for when they move into their new home. ONE-SHOT


**(A/N: This is just an older one-shot of mine that has been sitting on my computer. Since you guys liked my last NejiTen story I thought I'd go ahead and give you another cute little one-shot. As always the characters do not belong to me.)**

The apartment was small and cramped at the moment. It had been fine when it was just Tenten living there on her own, but now with her husband, Neji, and their baby it was crowded. The would be moving into an actual house at the end of the week, a quaint little three bedroom home just a few minutes away from the Hyuga compound. But until then Neji and Tenten would have to combat the sweltering heat of summer and the persistent cries of a six month old. Tenten was just thankful that she didn't have to deal with any of this dreadful heat the summer she was pregnant.

Baby Ayame had been sleeping peacefully in her crib after having kept Tenten up most of the night. Her crib had been pushed up in front of the dresser so that it could fit into their bedroom. It was late morning and Tenten had the windows of the bedroom open, both first time parents reluctant to leave the sleeping child, and the only sound was the buffering of the fan and the noise of Tenten and Neji enjoying a small snack on the floor of the room. The peach slices were ripe and juice and the iced tea was refreshing. The couple was simply enjoying the rare peacefulness.

It took less than a second for that silence and peacefulness to be shattered by the yell of a certain ninja in a green jumpsuit. Lee had walked right up to the window and yelled in to announce himself. The "youthful" ninja didn't seem to realize that any slight noise could wake a sleeping baby. As if on cue Ayame began crying and flailing her tiny arms. Lee had the decency to look sorry for waking baby, but that might have had more to do with the sleep deprived death glare the Tenten sent his way. Neji was up quickly, bottle in hand he picked Ayame up and began feeding her.

"She would have been awake soon anyway, she's just hungry." Neji stated, focusing on the small, soft body wiggling around in his arms.

"Sorry guys, I didn't realize the kid was asleep." Lee looked down at his feet as he apologized profusely and in the same dramatic way he always had.

"It's ok Lee, like Neji said, she'd be up soon anyway for her lunch." Tenten shrugged, as she took a seat on the window sill.

Tenten and Lee watched Neji feed the baby for a few minutes, It was strange at first to see him being so gentle with someone, anyone. He was blunt, always had been, but seeing him coo a crying baby was almost surreal and made Tenten smile. After looking back at Lee she noticed that he was hiding something behind his back. He caught her looking and pulled out the brightly wrapped package, complete with bow, and presented it to Tenten. She gave him a questioning look.

"I found out earlier today that I'll be leaving on a mission tomorrow and won't be back to two months, so I thought I'd bring over your house-warming present before I left." He explained; Neji and Tenten nodded.

Tenten and Neji thanked him and asked him a few questions about the mission. It wasn't a high risk mission but he would be in the Sand Village for a period of time. As expected Lee was excited for the new surroundings, always eager to prove himself to as many people as possible.

He waved goodbye and quickly ran off to join Sakura for lunch. Tenten smiled bringing the package into the room and setting it down on the bed. She sat on the edge of the bed, watching as Neji burped Ayame and set her back in the crib, handing the child her stuffed fox, a present from her Uncle Naruto. She grasped onto it and promptly fell back asleep.

Neji joined Tenten on the edge of the bed, his arm wrapped around her shoulders as he placed a kiss on her temple. Tenten smiled, pulling the gift for Lee onto her lap.

"Our first house warming gift." She said excitedly, looking around the cramped and cluttered room she looked back up at Neji, "I can't wait to move into the new house, there will be so much more room." She smiled brightly. She never thought a large home was absolutely necessary but after seeing just how much stuff one baby needed she was sure that they would have to move again when they had their second child, a few years down the road she hoped, when Ayame would be a bit older.

"What do you think it is?" Neji inquired, Tenten shrugged before tearing the wrapping paper off and tossing it onto the already messy floor. Neji rolled his eyes at her excitement and lack of concern for the messes she made.

"What is it?" Neji was curious, looking over her shoulder.

Inside a cardboard box sat two items; a small pouch with a label on the front that read, _One Cherry Blossom Tree – plant pouch in ground and watch it grow,_ and a very large cookbook with specific pages bookmarked. The note was scribbled quickly in Lee barely legible handwriting but years of working together meant that Neji and Tenten could just about make out what the note said.

_Neji and Tenten,_

_I'm sorry I won't be able to help you guys move later this month but I hope that the gift helps start the journey of making your new home truly yours. The tree is something that you can watch overtime, and the cookbook, well; hopefully one day Tenten's food will be edible. Stay youthful!_

_~Lee_

Neji let out a short laugh; it was no secret that Tenten was no chef, the other girls often made fun of her for it. Tenten blushed, a bit embarrassed that it was such common knowledge that she couldn't cook. Neji gave her a kiss on the cheek as he took the box off her lap and tossing it onto the floor.

"The tree was a really insightful idea," Tenten stated, "I'm surprised Lee did that, I would have thought he'd get us something silly and 'youthful'."

"And the cookbook?" Neji asked.

"I could try and learn some new recipes. Practice does make perfect." She snatched to book off the floor and went into the kitchen to try out the new recipe. Neji realized that he was in for a night of smoke and burnt food but didn't go to stop her. While she didn't have many weapons in the kitchen she would be just as deadly with a kitchen knife of utensil. Instead he leaned over the crib when Ayame lay with her pale eyes looking all around before focusing on her father and whispered to her as he tickled her sides a bit.

"Lucky you, you just get milk. Maybe by the time you're ready for real food she'll be able to cook it decently."

Even though he was whispering his words didn't go unheard by Tenten, her hearing seemed to have gotten stronger, though with Ayame screaming in her ear all the time Neji didn't know how that was possible. But she let that one go as she stared down at the recipe for the easiest meal in the entire book.

**(A/N: Hope you enjoyed my little version of a married NejiTen relationship. Review and let me know how I did.)**


End file.
